Factors affecting physicians' knowledge and behavior about sudden infant death syndrome

SUMMARY Aim: Sudden infant death syndrome is a baby who is under 1 years of age, who is thought to be completely healthy, died suddenly and unexpectedly and the cause of death cannot be found due to anamnesis and crime scene. In our study, we aimed to measure the level of knowledge of the physicians who will inform the community about sudden infant death syndrome and to find out the factors that affect it. Materials and Methods: We measured the level of knowledge about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome by using the questionnaire prepared according to the American Pediatric Academy's Sudden Infant Death Syndrome guidelineand asked questions about when they acquired this information. Our sample was formed from physicians who participated in the questionnaire. In order to investigate the risk factors of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, a scoring system is designed was consisting of 10 questions and 10 points for each question with a total score of 100. This score was compared in terms of the age, gender, specialty, age of the physicians, and whether the physians's baby was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.Knowledge levels were evaluated on this score. Evidences: As a result of comparison between pediatricians and non-pediatricians, there was no significant difference in the level of knowledge about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.It was determined that the physicians who had any children had more information than the non-mothers and among them mother's knowledge about Sudden Infant Death was higher than that of fathers. The level of knowledge of the physicians who were educated about the Sudden Infant Death in the medical school was higher than the others. The level of knowledge about SIDS car safety seats in parents using. Among the methods that have been shown to be the most beneficial in reducing sudden infant death, laying the infants on their back while sleeping was less known among doctors. Physicians' knowledge was also inadequate in terms of other important factors in reducing sudden infant death. Regarding SIDS in which mortality is very high, it is important to train physicians on lying the infants on their back and other factors especially in the medical school. Result: Physicians' information about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was insufficient. Overall, they found that they had a level of knowledge of 67,5 on average. Only 37% of all participants had the knowledge that babies should be laid on their back, and this information was equally well known among pediatricians and non-pediatricians. (Pediatricians 47.5%, 46.8%). We think that SIDS, one of the five most important causes ofinfant deaths all over the world, should be included in the curriculum of medical schools, and that this issue needs to be included in the Core Education Program. Keywords: Sudden infant death, core education program, medical education